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Running back Maurice Jones-Drew has changed teams, but not his habit of speaking his mind.

The former Jaguars running back signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders this year after the Jaguars signed Toby Gerhart from Minnesota to replace him.

Gerhart got $10.5 million for three years from the Jaguars and Jones-Drew had to take $7.5 million from the Raiders in a three-year deal.

And Jones-Drew noted that Ben Tate got $6.2 million from the Cleveland Browns in a two-year deal.

Pointing out that both Gerhart and Tate “have been backups,’’ he told the San Francisco Chronicle, “Why would a team give them a bunch of money?’’

Mainly because they are both younger. Gerhart is 27 and Tate is 26 although he turns 27 on August 21. Jones-Drew is 29 coming off a Lisfranc injury in 2012.

Jones-Drew said the free agent market for running backs was “frustrating’’ but insists salaries for running backs will rebound.

“There was no one (running back) proven on the free agent market but me, and I am only 29. I am 29 coming off a major foot injury, and people say I had a bad year – “He’s done,’’ he said.

He added, “I don’t think the running back position has been devalued. It’s the toughest position in the league, and people saw again last year in the playoffs how important the running game is. Running the ball is all that matters. I guarantee the money will go back up for running backs next year.’’

Even though Jones-Drew said running the ball is all that matters, the league is increasingly becoming a passing league.

Jones-Drew said earlier he hopes to finish his career in Oakland. He wants to play out his three-year deal and possibly longer.

“I signed a three-year deal. I’m 29 and if I play until I am 32, I feel that would be a great NFL career for me,’’ he said in a recent Sirius XM radio interview. “If there is an opportunity to extend it, we’ll wait until that time comes. But, as of now, I’m working out and I feel great. I want to end my career here. I don’t want to go anywhere else.’’

He added, “I feel like I have a lot of football left, and I feel like Oakland is going to give me that chance to compete for a starting job. That’s all I ask. I know they want Darren (McFadden) and I to split carries, which is perfectly fine. But we’ll get a chance to compete. I know (former Jaguars quarterback coach and current Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson) well, and he’s all about production. If you can go out and produce, the more he’s going to give you the ball.’’

“I got some grief saying you can win a Super Bowl with Schaub, but I believe it was last year at this time where everyone was saying that the Houston Texans were going to win the Super Bowl. I can’t be the only one people can call crazy, because last year a lot of people were saying the same thing. Schaub is going to have a great year. It’s going to be exciting,’’ he said.

Jones-Drew admitted Schaub had a bad year last year in Houston when he was benched but said, “He’s hungry to have a better year.’’

Jones-Drew has used motivation that he feels he hasn’t gotten the respect he deserves to fuel his career. He wears No. 32 because all 32 teams passed up him up before the Jaguars took him on the second round in 2006.

He has always played with a chip on his shoulder and it sounds like it is still there.

Jones-Drew led the league in rushing in 2011 with 1606 yards but played in only six games in 2012 even though he still led the team in rushing with 414 yards before he suffered the foot injury. Last year, he gained 803 yards to again lead the team. Last year, Tate rushed for 771 yards in Houston and Gerhart ran for 283 in Minnesota.